Oh my gosh why glass?!\n\nThe elevator is made of glass, and the safest place must be by the steel doors.\n\nYou shudder and place yourself as close to the doors as possible. These rowdy kids in front of you. The group can't be older than sixteen. Those girls, shuddering again; why are you so cold all of the sudden? \n\nYou press all the buttons. Sneeze into your hand. Great. Business. Labor. Labor. Ugh. Pressed against window like that, her grimy fingers. \n\nThat's so \n[[Disgusting|Ben 2]]\n[[Concerning|Sandy 1]]\n[[Curious|Ashley 2]]\n

The LED Panel works fine. If the sensors were going out, digital technology should be first. Not the light-floor sensors above the door panels. You stand up a little straighter. Something's not quite right. \n\n"Hey! We passed my floor!" The man on your right yells. Now everyone's noticed. \n\nAbout time. \n\nThe elevator begins to rumble from side to side, like it went from creaking along to speeding up. \n\nDo you [[Scream|Jessica 2]] ; [[remain calm|Ashley 3]] ; or [[freeze|Ben 3]]?

Nothing can explain this. \n\n"The elevator could fall!" You hear the drunk girl say. Her friend urges her to be quiet. "We're outside!" "We're going to die!!!" \n\nThe entire crowd of teens backs up to the glass panels.\n\nSwitch places.\n\nThe elevator doors open to a wall filled with post it notes and gum wrappers. Bizarre. But kinda cool. You creep forward to get a better look. Good. Get a better look. People signed their names. People say something about, button mashing? \n\nWhat is this? \nA [[video game|Elevator Puzzle]] ?

The doors open.\n\nA large steel wall, covered with papers and names and chewed gum. The color of dried gum has never looked so surreal. You aren't the first ones up here. And there's a small crack in the frame of the door. You step closer. The boys are saying something, beside you; you aren't really listening. \n\nThere's something stuffed between them?\n\n"There's light coming through the crack!" From the right ear, Will. \n\n"Is that a ballroom?" Jon looks in the cracks below. "There's no floor!" \n\nYou can see between the cracks too. Moldy wall paper and red carpet, water damaged with a broken, dusty chandelier. There is a piece of a paper between the crack. You pull it. \n\nThe elevator doors begin to shut. Crap. You've nothing to leave yor mark. \n\n"Who has a pen? A post it?" \n\nJon shrugs. Will, "Sorry." Damn you think. Useless .. Well not completely. You look at the piece of paper in your hand. \n\nThe elevator goes down. \n\n[[You|Lora 5]] are stand in the center. [[Jon|Jon 5]] at your left. [[Will|Will 5]] at your right.

You place your back to the wall. What's wrong with heights? This is high-grade glass, even for an old hotel. Sighing, but you plug your nose. It smells ridiculous. \n\n"Floor 8, please." \n\nThe buttons are pressed. Floor 5, 8, 9, and 11. The lift goes up. You notice the buttons above the doors aren't lighting up as they pass the floors. \n\nThat's strange. \n\nYou're feeling a little\n[[Concerned|Sandy 1]]\n[[Superstitious|Ashley 2]]\n[[Disguisted|Ben 2]]

What are these kids up to? THe curly haired one lets you in, that's nice. \n\nJon is to the left of you, and quickly shuts the door. What have you gotten yourself into? \n\n"How old do you think this hotel is?" he states. Hm. It looked pretty old. The banisters hadn't been updated, and the red brick was definitely early 1900s dated. \n\n"Let's just hope no one on the floors above us want to get on," the curly haired one states.\n\n"I think we're good, Will." Ah, so Will. This one's name is Will. Alright, face to a name, face to a name, now what...\n\n"What is this, a fighting game?" You back up to the back elevator banister for some reason. It's kinda bizarre seeing two males pushing elevator buttons like their lives depend on it. \n\nThey don't, right? \n\n"Something like that," Will states. \n\nJon: "Only no monsters."\n\n"Not that we know," Will and Jon exchange some nefarious glances. Was that a wink? Great. \n\nI am definitely not supposed to be here. \n\nBecause of:\n[[Jon|Jon 3]] \n[[Will|Will 3]]\n[[Yourself|Lora 3]]\n\n\n

Oh. How did you not notice they hadn't asked before? Hmh~ You smile. You knew their names without asking, then again; they talked to one another. So you could overhear. Who was there here to overhear with you?\n\n"Call me Lora."\n\nYou smile. Well, so much for not making "friends?" You shake your head. \n\nPeople aren't friends yet. \n\nThey seem too excited. It almost makes you giddy. No it makes you giddy. C'mon, a haunted hotel?! An adventure in a brass adorned elevator with mirror panels and old flashing lights above a steal door to, what? to where are we going? Oh my you just passed the last floor. \n\nThe last floor what's going to happen when the doors open? [[Will?|Will 4]] [[Jon?|Jon 4]] [[You?|Lora 4]] Who knows?

You reach over to the panel and begin mashing buttons. Something's gotta work. \nYou then look over to the steel walls. \nThe teens are taking pictures. \n\n"Awman my cell don't work, and I can't get facebook neither."\n"We'll get outta here, right?"\n\nAmatuers. You think and turn back to the frame. "Oh!" They stopped blinking. Uhm.\n\nDoor closed button. [[Push.|Door Close]]

You are Lora. \n\nYou are only slighlty serious. But it looks like the boys took you quite seriously. Well, maybe not one of them. He laughs. \n\n"This hotel is Haunted!" Says the other. \n\n"Way to ruing the fun, Jon.." Ah, you think. The tall broad one is named Jon. And his...leader? lacky? You can't decide. Curly haired. His name is....?\n\n"There are missing buttons on the elevator. And if you press them-" He begins\n\nThe elevator arrives. Ding! \n\n"Well, we'll show you." \n\nWho are You?\n[[Will|Will 2]]\n[[Lora|Lora 2]]\n[[Jon|Jon 2]]

Welcome to The Elevator Puzzle. A story-game that limits your perspective. Choose carefully. There's only so many places you can [[go|Untitled Passage]].\n

Will, Jon, and Lora decided to wait back from the elevator. They see it slowly go up. \n\nA tap on the shoulder. Lora turns over her left sholder. \n\n"Not in a hurry?" \n\n"Should I've been?" \n\nJon laughs and steps away from the wall. \n\n"No! This hotel has a secret."\n\n"A secret?" She look sceptical. \n\nWill: "And we're trying to recreate it." \n\n"So if you were interested- " :[[Jon|Jon 1]]\n\n[[Will|Will 1]]: "We could well show you."\n\n"This sounds like you're going to rape me." : [[Lora|Lora 1]]\n\n\n\n

An old voice creaks from the crowd. \n\n"Wind."\n\nHe shouts. \n\nWait- did he hear it too? Or think it too? You shake your head. Thre's no such thing as ghosts. \n\nBut the elevator starts going down. The panel shuts. A young woman stuck a piece of gum to the wall. The crowd of teens seems grateful. The man by the buttons has fallen to the ground and started sobbing.\n\nWhat a [[ride|Meta]].

This is great. The elevator feels like its racing and you are Will and you are so excited that its working for you. Honestly, you didn't think it would. \n\nYou hear Jon ask,"Hey, actually. I don't think you ever told us your name." Oh right. \n\n"Call me Lora."\n\n"Nice to meet you, Lora," you shoot back. Wow, that covered embarassment. Not even asking her name. \n\nEleven.\nTwelve.\n\n"We're done!" Jon shouts \n\n"Not yet," [[You|Will 4]] keep pressing the buttons. Just in case. You can feel the elevator slowly start stopping and begin to ease on the button mashing. [[Lora|Lora 4]] probably thinks your crazy. You at least hope [[Jon|Jon 4]] doesn't. \n\n\n

You are WIll. \n\nThis girl, she's a riot. Jon and you have been friends for about, oh, say five minutes? \n\nYou both overheard the floor advisors say something about the Elevator Trick. You were the passenger already. You want to see if you can do it too! She seems like she's the type for an adventure. \n\n"The hotel is haunted!" Jon shouts beside you. Really? "Way to ruin all the fun..." You lament out loud. \n\n"Haunted?" She looks curious. You knew it. \n\n"There are missing buttons on the elevator. And if you press them-" Ding! Perfect timing. An elevator, \n\n"Let's just show you." \n\nYou are\n[[Will|Will 2]]\n[[Lora|Lora 2]]\n[[Jon|Jon 2]].

It seemed to take twice as long to go down half as many stories. Adreniline. You laugh. They laugh too. You get off at Floor Six. It appears to be the happening floor. \n\nAll the people you say at the [[start|Start]] are back here, pouring out of an elevator. They coudln't have taken that long and all be on this floor. Actually, you need to be at the lobby. You look at the paper. There seems to be a riddle on it. \n\nWell, as fun as that was, and looking at all these angry faces, let's just take the stairs, you say to yourself. \n\n"Are you heading back?" You tap Jon to get his attention. \n\n"Yeah I'm beat." He looks half-tired and half-confused. Sure. \n\n"Well have fun." You turn to head off, "I'm getting a coffee." Will appears in front of you. \n\n"Does pizza sound good?" He's smiling and his stomach rumbles. It's almost too late. \n\n"Whatever works." Coffee can be found anywhere. \n\nYou turn back to Jon. He looks a little preoccupied. You ask again, "So you are not coming then, correct?" \n\nHe smiles, "Nah." (beat) "Thanks though! I gotta be somewhere early tomorrow." Ah so do you? Hm, well. His loss. \n\n"See you that tomorrow then!" \n\nYou place the paper in your pockets. You really want to figure out the riddle. Will joins you, as you head down the stairs for hotel pizza and coffee. The end of a slightly grand adventure.

Doors. Open! \n\nThe Steel Walls looks completely different than the wall in the other elevator yesterday. You'll have to tell Jon on the way down. To think, two different walls! \n\nYou're so glad Lora is peering through or at? the cracks too. 'There's light shining through!" You're a little too giddy. Why so? \n\nLora's look at a piece of paper now. You shake your head. "There's no floor!" Good going Jon! It has to be a ballroom. Maybe the whole level was destroyed in the fire? Or was it water damage? You notice one area of red carpet darker than the other. But you can't quite. Oh shit. \n\nYou press a button. You notice Jon did too. \n\n"Who has a pen? A post it!? Something!" You feel Lora's pleading eyes on you. Oh wow. Their big. Uhm. "sorry." You didn't bring anything. Why didn't you think ahead? Suddenly, you're really upset at yourself. \n\n[[Jon|Jon 5]] didn't have anything. Well that's good. The doors shut. [[Lora|Lora 5]] seems to be holding something. Cool. Maybe [[you|Will 5]] should all get together after this and go for pizza.

You are Jon.\n\nYou widen your eyes, grateful that Will seemed to laugh it off. Your worried. She actually looks like she thinks you are going to rape her. Not that she isn't- no!\n\n"This Hotel is haunted!" You quickly explain. \n\nWill looks sour. "Way to ruin the fun, Jon." \n\nShe looks intrigued. "Haunted?" \n\nThere he goes. There's a sparkle in Will's eye. You know he loves to show off. "There are missing buttons on the elevator. And if you press them-"\n\nAnother elevator dings.\n\nWill turns and smiles. "Well, we'll show you." \n\nWho are you?\n[[Will|Will 2]]\n[[Lora|Lora 2]]\n[[Jon|Jon 2]]

You forgot to press a floor. No more mistakes. And from now on, we're taking the stairs. \n\nYou're the first off the lift and you had straight to the stairwell, letting the cleaning maid in charge with a very stern note on how technology needs to be updated. You don't think she understood you. \n\nNo me importa. \n\nTurning round, you wonder what the [[start|Start]] of the next day will be bring. Surely, something adventurous.

Wait a minute. \n\n"Hey, actually. I don't think you ever told us your name." \n\n"Call me Lora."\n\n"Nice to meet you, Lora," is what you want to say but it comes out as "Cool." \n\nWill said it first.\n\nThe elevator steadily climbs. You've passed the Eleventh. The Twelveth. You're really really glad this worked. You were banking on Will being right, but it would have so embarrassing had he been wrong. \n\n"We've done!" you shout. \n\n"Not yet," [[Will|Will 4]] keeps pressing the buttons. So do you. You hate looking the fool. \n\nAnd [[you|Jon 4]] hope this is worth it. Will's been talking it up all day. You hope [[Lora|Lora 4]] thinks the same.\n

With all the others, jammed packed, you somehow manage to squeeze to the back. Don't you? Someone's afraid of heights. \n\nIs it you? \n\nAre you [[Jessica|Jessica 1]]?\nAre you [[Ashley|Ashley 1]]?\nAre you [[Ben|Ben 1]]?

The elevator doors begin to whir, and you quickly take your gum and stick it to the wall. Ha! Take that elevator wall of steel doom. The elevator begins to slowly creak downwards. You smile and sigh, closing your eyes. \n\nFinally notice the man in the corner. Poor fellow, all huddled and wiping his eyes. You don't comfort him. He looks covered in snot. \n\nYou look at the LED. \n\n-Shit-\n\nYou quickly press [[Floor Six.|Floor Six]].

The corridor is empty. No its not. Don't believe everything you read. \n\nThe corridor is brimming with anticipation. Two girls' black dresses and mardi gras beads jingle when they walk. They've obviously been drinking. \n\nAnother man anxiously taps on his Fossil watch. Two guys dressed in jeans and t-shirts, converse and laugh along the far left wall. A small group gathers at the far central elevator door. They are tapping "up" multiple, multiple, multiple times. A girl fiddles with her cell phone, gives up and sighs. She pulls a hair behind her head, nervously. \n\nAnother man shuffles to the center. \n\nWaiting on the [[elevator|Elevator List]].

You get into the elevator. After pushing Jon behind you, making sure Lora is the first to enter. \n\nThis has to work now. \n\nYou get on the right side of the elevator. Jon starts, "How old do you think this hotel is?" Uh, Jon stop talking.\n\n"Let's just hope no one on the floors above us want to get on," you say.\n\nFloor 7.\nFloor 8.\nFloor 9.\n\n"I think we're good, Will."\n\n"Alright, press Door Close and keep mashing buttons."\n\n"What is this a fighting game?" Lora steps closer to the elevator's interior. \n\n"Something like that," you reply. \n\n"Only no monsters." Jon states. \n\n"Not that we know," you wink at him.\n\nHe looks incredulously at you. what's wrong with him? \n\nBehind you, the mirrow shows [[your reflection|Will 3]], [[the girl's|Lora 3]], and [[Jon's|Jon 3]].

You look up. \n\nThat girl seems to have done it! The elevators moving again! You breathe internal relief and smile on the inside. Oh she's looking at you, crap. You turn your head and stand up again. \n\nYou look a fool.\n\nAnd your suit is ruined. "Never coming to Alabama again." What [[floor|Floor Six 2]] were you on again?

Poor Jessica. She's just had a little too many drinks. But it's not the liquor that gets your spirits down. It's Frank. The man with the eye tatoo and the little too smug look at your friend's collar-bone. \n\nHe can't have her, you think having wrapped herself around her. \n\n"Wait, we missed my floor!" A man shouts to your left behind you. What? That can't be. \n\nElevators just don't miss floors. \n\nYou hear a [[Scream|Jessica 2]].

Floor Six. Thank goodness Jon thought to press something. But he can't be thinking of going back to bed already? Isn't it just 10 or something? \n\nYou laugh. It's too early to sleep, and like you could anyway. You feel a pang in your stomach. Hunger. Does anyone want pizza? Lora said something about coffee.\n\n"What about pizza?" Your stomach really needs a meal. You just realized you forgot. Ooops. "Whatever works," she answers. Yes! Pizza. Pizza. Pizza. \n\n"Nah, thanks though." Oh, Jon's not coming? Wow where is your head? You must be reall hungry if all you're thinking about is pizza. What about the room and the steel wall and the different doors? Oh, you walk to Lora's side as Jon goes right to the room and you go left. \n\nYou'll tell him tomorrow over breakfast. Lora seems preoccupied too. Good. You relax. This might be the [[start|Start]] of a whole 'nother great experience.

Floor Five. \nThis is floor six. \n\nYou rush out of the elevator, pass the girl telling off the Mexican maid. Funny. She looked Latina herself. Whatever. You need a stuanch cup of beer. Do they come in cups? What are you saying? This is nonsense. Gibberish.\n\nMaybe if you could [[start|Start]] over, you wouldn't have gotten on that elevator in the first place.

The elevator doors are open, but the LED shows no numbers. Only loops in red.\n\nA floor number button is missing. Wait. The buttons light up in sequence, it seems. You think. Maybe? You know. You don't know. You think if you thought, you could get it. \n\nWhat's up and down and left and right, but no matter which is out of sight? \n\nWhere did that thought come from? \nWho's controlling this narrative? \n\nI thought I chose this adventure. \n\nI'll just [[sit down and cry|Ben 4]], [[answer the question anyway|Mystery Man]], [[start mashing buttons|Ashley 4]]. \n\n

The Elevator Puzzle\n\nWhen you're living it up, how will you get back down?

She's disguisiting with her drunken talk and smell. You look at the LED panel. It counts 3, 4, 5, 6. \n\n"Hey!" You step forward and hit your toe on the wall. Ouch. "We missed my floor!" \n\nEveryone turns to look at you. Great. You're a wreak. A lunatic. No. Don't think that. The lights aren't lighting up now either. And do feel that? \n\nThe elevator begins to rumble beneath. Seems to simultaneously slow down and speed up. \n\nDo you \n[[Scream|Jessica 2]]\n[[Remain Calm|Ashley 3]]\n[[Freeze|Ben 3]]\n?

You can't move your body. Why tonight? Your body tunes out, but you think that girl is screaming. A smaller woman appears at your left side to get a better look. \n\n"We're going to die!"\n\nYou can't die. Not tonight. Not in this way. \n\nNot when it smells like alcohol. \nYou have to [[do something|Elevator Puzzle]].\n\n

"Wow look at that skyline!" You shout too loudly for an elevator. The glass panes stick to your hands, as you peel them from the glass. \n\nBirmingham, Alabama lays before you; the night sky glistening at your fingertips and your friend wraps her hand around you to keep you contained. \n\nBut you can't be contained. You're free! You're wanting to dance. You're ~ \n\n[[Disguisting|Ben 2]]\n[[Concerning|Sandy 1]]\n[[Superstitious|Ashley 2]]

It's been fifteen minutes.\n \nWhy do you care? \n\nYou've been enjoying a pre-Mardi Gras party with some people and now a man's invited you out for an after-party (beat) cocktail. You need to freshen up before meeting him.\n\nYou didn't want to attend this business conference, but you had to and now your wife is in labor and you can't believe your skyping your newborn baby and poor, lonely mother. \n\nYou're tired. You're drunk. You're absolutely bewildered as to why you agreed to hang out with friends in a hotel where you all live less than five blocks away; but its ten o'clock and you don't remember how long you've been awake. \n\nYou hate people. But you need to be up at seven. Stupid buses. \n\nThere's something you've never tried before. If this crowd gets too full, maybe you'll just hang back. \n\nThe girls are whining. The man is pacing. The shuffler is shuffling. \n\nFifteen at least. \n\nThe elevator doors open. \n\nThe crowd clammors to get inside. \n\nThere's room for all of you; but do you [[Enter|Inside Elevator]] or do you just [[hang back|Waiting]]? \n\n\n\n

You've given up. \nYour family. Your friends. Nothing matters now. This stupid elevator is going to be the death of you and everyone you love will mourn in anguish and your new son will never have a father and the tears pour down your face like little jewels of snot-inducing jerks. You sniffle on the floor and curl into yourself. \n\nIf only someone would [[figure this shit out|Figured Out]].

Ashlingh

"The elevator could fall!" \n\nYou are hushed. \n\n"We're outside!" \n\nThe glass panes seem to get wider and more expansive. \n\n"We're going to die!!!" \n\nA hand is clamped over your mouth and you struggle as fiercly as your can in a black flapper dress and beads. \n\n\nWhat are you [[going to do|Elevator Puzzle]]?!\n

Will pushes you back to let the girl enter first. Damnit, why didn't you think of that? \n\nWell, you know more than Will, don't you? \n\n"How old is this elevator?" You ask the girl politily. She seems to be thinking. Deep thinking. Wow, wait, is she actually trying to guess? \n\n"Let's just hope no one wants in above us." Don't divert the subject. \n\n"We're good, Will." You try to shoot him an evil glare. He isn't responding. \n\nJust because- "Alright, press door close----" Yah you know how to do it, jeez. You hold door close and mash the blank button above Floor 12 on the panel. She looks completely bewildered. \n\n"What is this, some sort of fighting game?"\n\n"Something like that," he laughs. "Only no monsters," you try to be reassuring. \n\n"That we know of," Will winks at you. Always the snark. Hmph. You're actually happy to be triyng this for yourself.\n\nYou press the buttons like your life depends on it. You see [[your face|Jon 3]] in the mirror along with [[the girl's|Lora 3]] and [[Will's|Will 3]].\n\n

"Was that floor 13?"\n\n"Hotels can't have floor thirteens."\n\n"I'm never coming to Birmingham, AL again."\n\n"Heh. All because you couldn't resist the answer." An old man smiles up at you. Suddenly, you're tall. Very tall. "Oh but you knew," he shrugs it off and you follow them all out the elevator. \n\nFloor 6. \n\nWas this even your floor?\n\n"You aren't staying here, remember?" The old man winks and chuckles, spinning a metaphorical umbrella.\n\nYou don't remember him getting on the elevator. Now that you think it over. Why did you get on the elevator? The drunk girls have exited off. THe teen group calls their parents into their phones, updating facebook. The sobbing man rushed off, something about checking out. \nNow. \n\nEveryone's left you. You turn and see three people come out of another elevator laughing. Why didn't you take that elevator? If only you could [[start|Start]] again.\n\nYou go up to them. But you're getting higher. Higher? You reach to tap them on the shoulder. \n\nYou can't see your hand. \n\nFloating up and they talk about pizza and coffee and sleeping, but the slow roar of a fan calls to you. You're getting pulled in and whirled around but it doesn't hurt. It actually feels nice. Being slivered into pieces but connected by some force you've known is there but unable to place. \n\nMaybe, maybe you'll stay here. There. Everywhere. \nFloating.

The doors open. \n\nIt's just a steel wall covered in people's gum and garbage. Trying to leave their mark on an old hotel's door frame. Lora and WIll run straight to it. What's with them? It's just a door. \n\n"There's light coming through the crack!" Will eagerly peers over her. \n\nWait, so there's a room or something? You turn and begin to peak through the light cracks in the floor. There is something. Ugh gross, "Is that a ballroom?" You ask. Maybe its, "There's no floor!" You see red carpet way down below, but this looks like your in a ceiling tile? \n\nYou're in an elevator. You can't be in a ceiling tile. The doors start to shut. You hold door open. Will reaches with you. But the elevator starts making noises. You can't keep it here. \n\n"Who has a pen, a post it!" [[Lora|Lora 5]] doesn't even notice? She looks upset at you. Dismayed at [[Will|Will 5]]. Wow. Expressions. You shrug. \n\nThe buttons do nothing, and the elevator starts going down. You think to hit Level 6. At least you'll return back to [[your|Jon 5]] floor. \n\n

You exit at Floor Six. It took almost twice as long to get half the stories. Everybody laughs. It seems the other elevator got off on Floor Six too. \n\nWhat were they all doing in there? Did they get stuck too? \n\nLora taps you on the shoulder, "Are you heading back?"\n\n"Yeah, I'm beat." She frowns. "Have fun. I need a coffee."\n\n"I was going to suggest pizza!" Will's as up and about it as ever. Don't we have to like, be down and dressed in suits by 7am? What's he thinking? \n\n"Whatever works," Lora smiles, "So you're not coming?" \n\n"Nah, thanks though." You wave and smile back at her. "See you tomorrow then." She puts her hands in her pockets. You walk down to the right corridor, where all the angry people seem to not be heading. Thank you. \n\nIt's been a weird night. Stuck in an elevator. Your index finger is even a little sore. Wow. Finger work-outs. That's not a trend. Ever. You open the door to your room. Crash. \n\nTomorrow [[starts|Start]] a new day.

"Aiiiihhh!" \n\nThe floor drops and you fall down, caught up in your own emotional folly. Your friend's arm is caught with you, and drags you back to pitiful standing. The elevator races to the top, and abruptly stops. \n\n"What's going on?" \n"What is it?!!" \n\nWill you [[freeze|Ben 3]], [[keep freaking out|Jessica 3]], or [[try to figure it out|Ashley 3]]?